Bath apparatus



Oct. 31, 1933. KEATlNG 1,932,788

BATH APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0 ffdamrd Keafi/y INVENTOR Wan/k6 ATTORN EYJ E. KEATING BATH APPARATUS Oct. 31, 1933.

Filed July 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Edward Keafi y 6 V. R w 0 R T W0 N T W T m A Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in bath apparatus of the type adapted for vapor-baths and consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed. An object of my invention is to provide a vaporbath apparatus which is simple in construction and which may be economically manufactured and marketed.

A further object is to provide a vapor-bath apparatus which may be easily and quickly adjusted to the proper height with respect to the patients body by the patient himself, while positioned within the cabinet. I

A further object is to provide a vapor-bathapparatus which maybe easily and quickly assembled and disassembled.

A further objectis to provide a vapor-bath apparatus having a novel supporting means.

Other objects and advantageswill'appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

- My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the lines 33 of Figure 2,,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of my device, a portion thereof being shown in section,

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the lines 5-5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken substantially along the lines 6-6 of Figure 4.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a seat or supporting means 1, as shown in Figure 2, which comprises a seat portion 2 provided with legs 3. A substage portion or bracing means 4 may be. disposed beneath the seat portion 2 and may be connected with the legs 3 by any suitable means, such as screws 5.

The seat portion and bracing portion are provided with projecting portions 6 and'l, respectively, which may be integral therewith, as shown, or connected therewith in any satisfactory manner.

The projecting portions 6 and 7 may be provided with aligned openings 8 therein for receiving a tubular member 9 which may extend within the openings and may be connnected with the projecting portions 6 and '7 by any suitable means, such as screws 10.

An upright member or mast 11 extends within the tubular member 9 and may be provided with a plurality of spaced-apart openings 12 therein for receiving a locking element or pin 13 which may .be removably disposed in aligned openings in the projecting portion 6 and the tubular member 9. It will be seen that this construction adapts the mast to be adjustably positioned with respect to the seat portion 2.

If so desired, the tubular member 9 may be dis- 5 pensed with and the openings 8 in the projecting portions 6 and '7 made having a diameter substantially conforming to the diameter of the mast 11.

The pin 13 and the openings 12 in the mast 11 may also be dispensed with, and, in lieuthereof, a set screw may be utilized for detachably connecting the'mast with the seat portion 2.

A pair of U-shaped hinge members 14 may be positioned on opposite sides of the mast and may be connected therewith in any suitable manner, such as by a bolt 15, extending through aligned openings in the mast and hinge members. The mast may be cut out for providing recesses having fiat faces 16 for engagement with the u-shaped hinge members 14.

In like manner, a pair of hinge members 1'7 maybe connected with the mast at a position remote to the hinge members 14, which position may be adjacent the top of the mast, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

A cover means, which may be substantially circular in contour, comprises a pair of complementary cover portions 18 and 19, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5.

Each of the cover portions may be pivotally connected with a hinge member 14, by extending between the flange portions 20 of the hinge mem her, and having a pin or bolt 21 extending through openings in the flange portions 20 and the cover portion. Wing nuts 22 may be disposed on the bolts for enabling the cover portion to be quickly and easily detached from the hinge members.

The cover portions 18 and 19 may be provided -with recesses 23 formed forreceiving the mast 11 and permitting the cover portions to be moved to their dotted line positions shown in Figure 5. Each of the cover portions is provided with an arcuate-shaped recess 24 for providing an opening 25 through which the neck of an 'individual may extend when the individual is sitting on the seat portion 2 of the seat means 1.

A catch member 26 may be provided for detachably connecting the cover portions. The catch member 26 may be provided with a pin portion 27 fixedly connected therewith and extending through an opening in the cover portion 18. An element 23 may be fixedly connected with the pin portion whereby the catch member 26 may be manually moved from the lower side of the cover means.

The catch member may be provided with a recess for receiving a pin or projecting element 29 connected with the cover'portion 19 for detachably connecting the catch'member with the cover portion 19.

Suspension members 30 and 31 may be connected with each of the cover portions 18 and 19 by any suitable means, such as bolts The bolts may be provided with wing nuts 33 whereby the suspension members may be quickly and easily detached. The suspension members may be constructed of any suitable strip orbar material.

The suspension members 31 may be' connected with their respective extension members 30 by any desirable means, such as bolts 34.

The extension members 30 may be provided with extended portions 35 which may extend between the sides of the hingemeinbers 17 and be connected therewith by any desirable means, such as bolts 36, which may also be provided with wing nuts.

Thus it will be seen that when the cover portions are moved, the suspension-members may also be moved. 7

A curtain means or casing portion 37 may encircle'the cover means and be suspended therefrom. The curtain means may be connected with the cover portions 18 and 19 by any suitable means, such as fastening elements, connected with-the cover'portions and extending through openings or eyelets in'the curtain. The curtain -may be constructed of any suitable material or fabric, such as oilcloth.

It will be noted that the adjacent ends of the curtain are positioned in overlapping relationship when the cover portions are disposed in their closed positions and may be fastened together by any suitable fastening means, such as buttons 38, connected with one end portion and insertable through openings or buttonholes in the other end portion.

It will be noted that the end portions of the curtain means may be connected by the operator when positioned within the confines of the curtain means. The curtain means ispreferably of sufiicient length so that the cover portions may be adjustably positioned vertically with respect to the seat portion and still have the bottom of "the curtain means in engagement with the floor.

As shown in Figure 2, a heating unit 39 may be disposed on the substage 4 and may be held in the desired position by any suitable retaining means, such as angular strips 40, which may be connected to the substage and may be made of any suitable material, such as, for'instance,

spring steel.

, The heating unit may be of any suitable type, such as an electric or gas heater. If so desired, aheat insulating member 453, such as a sheet of asbestos, may be connected to the seat portion on the under side thereof for protecting the seat portion from the heatof the heating unit.

A receptacle'dl may be removably disposed on the heating unit and may be retained thereon by the retaining strips 40.

The receptacle may be provided with a cover having openings therein, and is adapted for containing a liquid, such as water.

Thus it will be seen that when the user desires to take a dry-vapor bath, the heating unit only is used, and when he desires to take a wetvapor bath, such as a steam bath, the receptacle may be filled with water and placed on the heating unit for generating the steam.

In utilizing the invention, the person desiring to take a vapor bath unfastens the catch member 26 and moves the cover portions 18 and 19 to their dotted line positions, after which he seats himself on the seat portion 2. He may then adjust the cover portions to the proper height so that when they are in their closed posi- :.-tions, his neck will extend through the opening 25.

The cover portions may then be moved to their closedpositions shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5, and the catch member actuated through the 'mediumof the -element 28 for connecting the two. The end portions of the curtain may then be connected by the fastening elements 38.

When theibath has been completed, the op- .erator merely carries out the above operations in'the reverse order to enable him'to leave the bath chamber.

.1 claim:

1. Bath apparatus comprising a seat, a vertically adjustable mast supporting member carried by said seat, a mast supported by said member, a pair-of horizontally movable cover sections each hinged adjacent a corner thereof to said mast and havingedges provided with complementary recesses forming an opening for the neck of the user when said edges are in contact, additional complementary recesses in said cover sections for accommodating said mast, a depending curtain secured to said sections and inclosingsaidiseat and the portion of said mast beneath said cover'sections whereby said mast and sections can be adjusted relatively to the seat by the userwhen within said apparatus.

2. Bath apparatus comprising a seat, a vertically adjustable-mast supporting member carried by said seat, a mast supported by said member,

a pair of semi-circular. cover sections each hinged same to the corresponding corner of the other section and inc'los'ing said seat and the portion "of the mast beneath said sections whereby said mast can be adjusted from within the apparatus.

3. Bathapparatus comprising a seat, mast supporting means secured to the rear thereof, a vertically adjustable mast adapted to be carried by said means, means carried by said supporting means for holding said mast in vertically ad- "justed position, a pair of cover members each being hinged adjacent one end thereof to said mast, inclined bracket members each secured at one end thereof adjacent the other end of each of said cover members and being hinged at the opposite end to said mast coaxially with respect to the hinges of the respective sections, and a curtain depending from said cover members and inclosing said seat.

'4. Bath apparatus comprising a seat, a cover comprising two sections having edges adapted to contact for closing the upper end of the apparatus, said edges being provided with a pair of comsaid cover sections thereto comprising axially alined upper and lower hinge members, said lower hinge members engaging said cover sections adjacent the rear ends thereof, and a pair of inclined extension members each connected at the upper'ends-thereof to one of said upper hinge members, andsecured at the lower ends thereof to a forward portion of one of said cover sections.

EDWARD KEATING. 

